Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-13
CHAPTER XVIII.
AN ESCAPE

CHAPTER XVIII.
 AN ESCAPE.
 No time was lost in useless regrets. All of our comrades resolved to carry out the plan of escape which was their leaders, only chance of life-probably their own also. Andrews was separated from them the same evening and put down into 'the hole" There was knife in the party and they at once began work. On Saturday night they cut into the plank overhead, as this could be the more easily concealed. It was fearfsl1y difficult One man stood on the shoulders of two others who leaned against the walls, for there was no other means of reaching the ceiling, and carved at the heavy oak plank till weary, when another relay of three would take their place. The cutting was not very noisy, but little shuf1ing about, talking, and especially singing, effectually drowned it. A piece was thus worked out during the night large enough to admit the passage of mans body and the work suspended till the morning and afternoon visits of the jailer had been passed.
 After they had returned from their daily airing on Sunday they went to work with new vigor. Now they did not need to con- ceal the evidences of their work, for be- fore the jailer came again on Monday morning they meant to be free. They knew that dangers were ahead, but the thought of liberty, and their leaders life, was enough to inspire them. They worked hard and sang long that Sunday evening. Swims afterward said that he ought to have known that something was the mat ter by their singing so mournfully They hoped to finish all that was to be done by midnight; but they had miscalculated their task.
 They had to cut the lock out of the trap door in order to bring Andrews up from below; then to pick their way through the end brick wall above the ceiling, slowly and carefully, so as not to alarm the guard outside. Their garments had to be twisted into ropes to lift Andrews from below and the last of themselves up to the ceiling, as we'll as to make 0 longer rope for the per ilous descent from the gabled end of the jail to the ground outside.
 When all was done day was just begin ming to break faintly in the east. No time was to be lost. In half an hour it would be so light as to render their escape inn possible. They were all in the loft ard Andrews was given the first chance. Of course all letters had been removed. The rope was passed out, and Andrews crawled through, and in a moment was swinging outside; but ill getting out he happened to push off loose brick, which fell to the ground and gave the alarm. The nearest guard raised his muslzet and fired at the man hanging on the rope, but missed his aim. Andrews had his boots in his hand, but in the excitement let them fall and could not stop to pick them up. He after wards sorely needed them. But in his stocking feet he flung himself over the fence and through the guard line, repeat edly fired at but unhurt. John Wollam followed. and while he was in the air he was fired at by other guards, but suc- ceeded in getting out of tho yard unhurt. Those who had failed to get out crawled down and got on their irons again, and it was a great mystery how the two men | alone had been able to effect their escape. Andrews and Wollam separated as soon 1 as they left the prison. The former ran a short distance beyond the skirts of the | town, after having taken precautions to | throw the dogs off his track, and finding it too light to travel further in safety, climbed into tree with dense foliage, which stood in plain view of the railroad All day long he watched the running of the trains so close that he could have tossed a pebble on them, and once heard Q party in pursuit talking about his mys- terious disappearancc The search was patient and complete, but they L-l not think of looking over their heads!
 He descended at nightfall and swam the deep and rapid river, feeling that his best course was to get into the loyal noun tainous country. through which he would only need to journey short distance to reach the Union lines. His prospect now would have been good but for the loss of boots and hat in the first rush, and the additional loss of his coat in swimming the river. His course was in the main down the river, but he could not make rapid progress. The sharp stones in the darkness soon cut away his stockings and left the bleeding feet unprotected. He bound them up with portions of his gar ments as we'll as he could, and continued on his desperate and painful way. But he was little too long in finding hiding place, and was observed in the morning twilight just as he was crossing an open field beyond, in which he intended to take shelter, as he had done the day be- l fore. Instantly the alarm was given and pursuit made by men and dogs. With boots and other clothing he might have escaped, for he could probably have made such usc of the streapl as to elude them. I As it was he put forth every effort. Dashing through the woods he regained the river bank much lower down than he had crossed the night before. Believing that he was now unobserved, he swan a narrow channel to Q SInaL lSlanu, ana carefully concealed himself among some driftwood at it's upper end.
 But the hunters were determined te leave no spot unsearched, party with bloodhounds now crossed over from the mainland and explored the whole island. He was soon found, but broke away from them and ran around the lower end o1 the island, wading in the shallow water to throw the hounds off the track; then he plunged into Q dense thicket with